Former Ranker's Newbie Life-Chapter 2

The tutorial zone was where players gather after creating their characters. As Do-Jin opened his eyes in this space, a woman dressed in a navy uniform approached him.

“Welcome to Lostania. This place, known as the ‘Gate,’ is designed to help warriors who have crossed the boundaries adapt quickly to Lostania. I am Instructor Rami, and I will assist you in completing the tutorial so you can become an official adventurer.”

With the precision and formality of a military officer, Rami gave a small nod and gestured to one side.

“Let me explain the training process without delay. Over there, you will receive a training weapon. Please select the weapon of your choice, then proceed to the training grounds as instructed. Your first task, or ‘Quest,’ is to defeat three training scarecrows stationed there.”

As soon as Rami finished speaking, a Quest Window appeared before Do-Jin.

[Quest: Defeat the Scarecrows!]

Level: Tutorial

Beginner warriors have always started with scarecrows. However, it’s best not to underestimate them.

Objective: Defeat 3 training scarecrows in the Gate’s training grounds.

Reward: Experience points, 3 beginner healing potions, beginner weapon.

Noticing that Do-Jin’s gaze was fixed on something invisible to her, Rami continued her explanation. “What you see now is a ‘Quest,’ a task assigned to those who can hear the whispers of the world. By completing it and contributing to the world, you’ll receive appropriate rewards. Do you have any questions?”

Do-Jin responded briefly, “No, that’s enough.”

There was no reason to ask questions. Any information from this place was meaningless to Do-Jin. Instead, what mattered to him was executing the growth plan he had meticulously devised in his head. And to do so, he needed to finish the Tutorial quickly. Without hesitation, Do-Jin headed in the direction Rami had indicated.

“Weapons will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis! No shoving the person in front of you! Hey, causing trouble at the Gate could get you penalized! Let go of each other’s collars immediately!”

The area was already jam-packed with players who had started their tutorials earlier. They were at each other’s throats over accusations of line-cutting, grabbing collars and shouting, while an NPC dressed like Rami tried to restore order while looking completely worn out.

The chaos was so extreme that the line outside a store advertising “100 iPads at 99% off” would have looked more organized by comparison.

“It wasn’t this bad last time...” Do-Jin uttered, shocked.

Confronted with the overwhelming scene of utter disorder, he stepped back unknowingly. Judging by the way things were going, it would take at least thirty minutes just to grab hold of a training weapon if he jumped into that mess.

What should I do?

Eager to finish the tutorial as quickly as possible, Do-Jin started to brainstorm. There had to be a better approach.

The tutorial sequence was definitely... His thoughts trailed off.

First, receive a training weapon and defeat the scarecrows. Next, return the used weapon to the instructor, claim the quest reward, listen to some additional explanations, and move on to the instructor in charge of the final trial: the Forest of Trials.

The weapon they give us now has to be returned anyway, right?

In other words, the training weapon was merely a tool, not the goal. The objective was to defeat the scarecrows and complete the quest. If he could take on the training scarecrows barehanded, there was no need to waste time struggling in that chaotic crowd for a weapon.

With his decision made, Do-Jin changed direction and headed toward the portal that led to the training grounds where the scarecrows waited.

Rami was repeating the same instructions to another trainee. “Let me explain the training process without delay. Head to those soldiers over there to receive your training weapon...”

She caught sight of Do-Jin and her eyes widened in shock. And who could blame her? Watching a lunatic, not just walking but sprinting barehanded toward the scarecrow-filled training grounds, was bound to be shocking.

Is he out of his mind?!

Being a responsible instructor, Rami sprinted after Do-Jin and grabbed him by the arm.

“What do you think you’re doing?! You can’t just enter the training grounds without receiving a weapon! Even if they’re called scarecrows, they’re a type of golem animated by magic!”

Though her tone was scolding, Do-Jin’s expression was one of mild annoyance, as if he’d been inconvenienced.

“Do I absolutely have to get a weapon before entering?”

“Of course you do!” Rami shouted back and her voice was filled with disbelief.

“Then why did you stop me? If I can’t enter anyway, what’s the problem?”

“That’s not what I meant! Ugh... Going in unarmed is a terrible idea. The scarecrows in the training grounds aren’t as harmless as they seem.”

“So I can enter if I want to. In that case, I’ll just go in. You said it yourself that we should try different weapons to help us decide on a Class, didn’t you?”

That was true. Rami had said that. But how could anyone link those words to walking into the training grounds unarmed?

And yet, against Rami’s expectations and defying common sense, Do-Jin declared confidently, “I plan to become a martial artist or a brawler.”.

Do-Jin connected the dots in the most absurd way.

“A m-martial artist...?”

“Yes.”

“What are you talking about? That’s absurd! Even martial artists and brawlers use weapons here. Get in line and ask for knuckles right now!”

Rami extended her finger to point at the chaos Do-Jin had escaped from. She did so with such force that it almost seemed like a gust of wind blew toward Do-Jin’s face. It was a clear indicator of just how exasperated she was.

Unfortunately for her, how the sheer frustration would affect her was of no concern to Do-Jin. He had no intention of wasting his precious time wading back into that mayhem.

“Actually, I can’t hold weapons. It’s against my religious beliefs.”

Rami’s jaw dropped in utter disbelief at the absurdity of the statement.

“I hope Lostania isn’t the kind of place that persecutes individuals for their religious convictions.” Taking advantage of her momentary confusion, Do-Jin added another jab and nodded. “I’m confident that’s not the case. Well then, I’ll take my leave.”

Rami’s mind froze for a moment, overwhelmed by the absurdity of his argument. By the time she snapped out of it and reached out to stop him, she changed her mind and slowly lowered her hand.

Maybe it’s better for someone like him to learn the hard way. If he was destined to face a harsh reality, it’s better for it to happen here where it might actually teach him a lesson, Rami thought to herself, already envisioning the scenario.

If he ended up with a few broken bones, she would drag him back to the weapon distribution area and throw him into the line herself.

***

The training grounds were just as chaotic as the weapon distribution area. A large number of players were scattered across the field, each wielding their chosen weapon. Their opponents were the moving scarecrows.

“Hyaah!”

A man swung his sword with terrible form. Losing his balance, he was struck by a scarecrow’s shield and collapsed on the spot.

“Eeek!”

A woman wielding a double-edged axe far too large for her frame, toppled over and fell. The scarecrow didn’t miss its chance, mercilessly smacking the back of her head with a wooden sword. Her body dissipated into light as she was forcibly ejected from the training grounds.

“Argh! What kind of scarecrow is this?! Ugh!” 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Armed with wooden swords and shields, the scarecrows were ruthlessly battering the fresh-faced newbies who had ventured into the training grounds.

Do-Jin watched this scene unfold with a satisfied smile.

Scarecrows can be pretty tough for newbies. Even I had to retry three times when I came here the first time.

The training scarecrows weren’t ordinary. They were, in fact, wooden golems. While their strength and dexterity matched that of a level-one player, they were far more skilled with their swords and shields. As golems, their inherent durability was an added advantage.

For players accustomed to VR games where simply swinging a weapon automatically dealt damage, these scarecrows were far from easy opponents—at least for beginners.

But that only applied to newbies who were trying LOST for the first time.

Even though I was a mage back then, I’m not about to lose to something like this.

In his previous life, Do-Jin had been a mage—a highly unbalanced one. His build had been completely focused on offense and destruction, earning him numerous penalties and the nickname “Glass Cannon.”

Yet, even under those disadvantageous conditions, Do-Jin had carved out a name for himself. He was a force to be reckoned with in both PVE and PVP.

One of the reasons Do-Jin had been able to achieve such success was simple: I was the fastest among the magic users.

His close-combat skills were something he had honed without relying on martial arts-related abilities. In short, he overcame his weaknesses not through the game’s system, but through his own physical ability and precise control.

Do-Jin took a deep breath and approached the nearest scarecrow. Its eyes glowed red as it raised its wooden sword and shield. The wooden sword, still slick with the blood of the last player the scarecrow had beaten senseless, was a grim and terrifying sight.

“Who’s that guy? Is he crazy?”

“Why’s he walking in unarmed?”

“Is he nuts?”

The surrounding players whispered as they watched Do-Jin approach the scarecrow barehanded. But their opinions didn’t matter to him. Whether they laughed or stared at him with hopeful anticipation of him getting beaten senseless, it was irrelevant. What mattered to Do-Jin wasn’t the other players struggling with their training scarecrows, but the quest monster standing right in front of him.

Creak.

As the distance between them closed to a certain point, the scarecrow’s joints emitted a harsh, grating sound. The noise came from its right arm and knee. Do-Jin reacted immediately.

“Hup!”

He twisted his body to dodge the scarecrow’s straightforward attack and closed the distance even further. The scarecrow countered with a shield bash, but Do-Jin had been waiting for this. Grabbing the shield that was meant to push him away, he yanked it forward instead.

While pouring its weight into the shield bash, the scarecrow couldn’t stop itself and tumbled forward under its own momentum.

Thud!

With a loud crash, the scarecrow hit the ground, and Do-Jin swiftly climbed on top of it.

Creak, creak, creak!

The scarecrow struggled to escape, but the limited range of motion of its cheap wooden joints was painfully obvious. What followed was a relentless beatdown. Do-Jin expertly restrained the scarecrow’s flailing and unleashed a flurry of attacks.

His lack of a weapon meant his attacks lacked raw power, but that wasn’t a problem. He could compensate for the missing damage by using his surroundings.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Grabbing the scarecrow’s head with both hands, Do-Jin slammed it repeatedly into the ground. With a steady rhythm, the wooden puppet’s face collided with the floor over and over.

Creak... creak... creak.

The scarecrow’s limbs spasmed, and unsettling sounds emanated from its body.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

With each slam, the red glow in its eyes grew fainter. Finally, a dark, murky liquid of unknown origin began to drip from its eyes.

The other players, who had been watching from the beginning, shared similar thoughts.

He’s completely insane.

I better not make eye contact with him.

I hope he didn’t hear what I said earlier...

By now, any trace of mockery they had directed at Do-Jin had been thoroughly wiped from their minds.